Garage door locking mechanism



Jan. l, 1952 R, E NOWAK 2,580,584

GARAGE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1948 INVENTOR. P4 L PH N O WA K Patented Jan. 1, 1952 GARAGE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Ralph E. Nowak, Glendale, Calif., assignor to R & E Engineering Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a partnership composed oi' Ralph E. Nowak and E. B. Nowak Application January 6, 1948, Serial No. 777

7 Claims.

This invention relates to latching and locking mechanism for overhead doors such as garage doors. Its general object is to provide `animproved and simplied latching mechanism of the central-operator type, i. e., the type in which a pair of latches at the lower corners of the door are actuated by a common operating handle located approximately at the center of the door.

A common latching arrangement of this type is one in which an operating handle is located on the outer side of the door and is connected through a shaft extending through the door to a crank which transmits pull through a pair of links to latch bolts located at the lower corners of the door on the inner side thereof. Such an arrangement ordinarily incorporates a lock, accessible only at the outer side of the door, for locking the handle or the shaft against rotary movement and thereby locking the door. In such an arrangement, it is possible to unlock the door only from the outside.

In garages that are attached to and communicate with the interior of a house or have a secondary entrance, it often becomes desirable to release the main door from the inside. One of the particular objects of my invention is to Drovide an arrangement which provides for unlatching the door from the inside while the operating handle on the outside remains locked. More speciilcally, it is an object to provide such an arrangement in a relatively simple and inexpensive mechanism. l

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, simplified, inexpensive latch bolt unit which can be constructed almost entirely from sheet metal stampings.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specication and `appended drawing in which:

Fig." 1 is a transverse sectional view through the lower portion of a garage looking forwardly =toward the inner side of a door embodying my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the central actuating mechanism, viewed from the inside of the garage;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view Of the central actuating mechanism taken on the line 3`3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 -is a detail View of one of the latching units; l

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional'view thereof taken on the line yI-Ii of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of an alternative latching unit;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 8-8 of Figf;

Fig. 9 is a plan view thereof, with the door and door posts shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 10 is a partial view of a modified form of the central operator; and

Fig. ll is a plan view of the same.

As an example of Yone form in which my invention may be embodied, I have shown in Fig. 1 a garage door Ill mounted for upward and rear ward swinging movement between door posts II of a garage, the side walls of which are inclicated at I2. The mounting mechanism, indicated generally at I3, is such that as the door is swung upwardly, the lower extremity thereof will first swing outwardly, or forwardly with reference to the door opening. The latching units I4 are therefore `constructed so as to latch upon rear- Ward movement of the door into the plane of the door opening.

Referring briefly to the latching units: at this point, each of these units (Figs. 5 and 6) includes a spring urged latching bolt I5 having a beveled end I6 adapted to engage a strike plate I1 as the door moves into closed position to be retracted by its camming engagement with the edge oi' the strike plate I1, until it clears the strike plate, and then to engage behind the strike plate as shown in Fig. 6, thereby latching the door in closed position. l

The latching bolts are simultaneously withdrawn by the common, central actuating mechanism which will now be described, reference being had to Figs. 2 and 3.

Secured to the outer side of the door |10, as by means of screws I8, is a face plate I9 having its lower end bent at right angles'toform a keeper 20. Secured to the inner side of the door, opposite the face plate I 9, is a mounting'plate 2|. The plates I8 and 2 I are provided with registering openings, which are connected by a bore 22 drilled through the door I0. An operating shaft 23, of square cross section with rounded, threaded corners, is permanently mounted at one end in an outside operating handle 24, and extends through the bore 22 and through openings in the plates I9 and 2|, in which openings itis journalled for rotation. The outside operating handle 24 has an inturned lug 25 at its lower end. The lug 25 and keeper 20 have openings (indicated by dotted lines at 26) that register when the handle' is in a normal vertical position. A padlock may be passed through vthese openings so as to lock the handle 24 against actuation.

When rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the outer side of the door, the handle 24 trans` mits unlatching movement through the shaft 23 to a clutch 21 which is secured to the inner end of the shaft 23. The clutch 21 comprises a generally rectangular sheet metal plate having a squared central opening in which the end of the shaft 23 is fitted to provide a non-rotatable connection between the shaft and clutch. As viewed from the inside of the garage, as in Fig. 2, the clutch 21 has at its upper right hand corner and/or at its lower left hand corner, clutch dogs 23 extending forwardly. Movement of the handle 24 in the unlatching direction indicated by arrow 29 in Fig. 2 (clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2) is transmitted from the fingers 28 to the upper and lower edges of the flat hub portion 3G of an inside handle 3i. Movement of the handle 3| in the same direction, without transmitting such movement back to the clutch 21, is possible becauseof the location of each dog 2B entirely on the clockwise side of a radius of the shaft 23, as viewed in Fig. 2. The handle 3| is secured. as by welding, to a lever 32 embodying crank arms projecting upwardly and downwardly from the shaft 23. The shaft 23 is rotatable in openings in the hub portion 3@ of the handle 3| and in the lever 32, through which it extends, so that it may be possible to move the handle 3| and lever 32, whereby to unlatch the door, without rotating the shaft. Thus it is possible to unlatch the door from the inside while the handle 24 on the outside remains locked. At the same time it is possible to unlatch the door from the outside by rotating the handle 24 counterclockwise, and such rotation will be transmitted through the shaft 23 and clutch 21 to the hub 30 and thence to the lever 32. The clutch 21, handle 3B, 3| and lever 32 are held assembled against the mounting plate 2| by means of a nut 62 threaded on the inner end of the shaft 23.

Engaged in apertures 33 in the respective ends of the lever 32 are links 36 which connect the respective ends of the lever to pull elements 3. The other ends of the pull elements 35 are connected, by short lengths of chain 34, to the inner ends of the latching bolts I5. The Apull elements 35 may be constructed from wire cable or any other suitable material that will not substantiallyV elongate under tension, but I prefer to employ a steel ribbon or tape which is particularly suitable for the purpose.

It may now be noted that most of the parts of the actuating mechanism are of stamped Sheet metal and that the actuator arrangement is relatively simple. Accordingly, the actuating mechanism may be provided at a moderate cost. The mounting plate 2| has at its upper left and lower right corners, as viewed in Fig 2, openings through which mounting screws 6G may be threaded into door Hl. Screws 63 haveA llet or' other raised type heads, and the screw holes are so located that the screw heads will function as stops to limit retracting movement of the lever 32 at the position shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 10 and ll disclose a modied form of the invention in which handle 3| (Fig. ll) is provlded with a hub portion 30" which, instead of being secured to the lever 32, is merely in face to face contact therewith, held in assembly by nut 32', and has an integral ange 6|' bent outwardly from its free end and engaging the edge of lever 32 in Vorder to transmit turning moments thereto. This makes it possible to ship the pari/S 1n a smaller package. Fig. 10 also illustrates how the clutch 21, may have only one dog 2B".

Referring now to the structural details 0f, the

ill.

4 latch units, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the latch bolt I5 is constructed from heavy sheet metal, die cut to the shape shown in Fig. 6. The bolt includes a head portion 31 of maximum width, an intermediate body portion 38 of somewhat reduced width, and an end shank 39 of further reduced width. The head portion 31 is slidably mounted in a slot 40 in a tongue 4| that is struck upwardly from a bracket plate 42. The outer end of the tongue 4| is bent to a position parallel to plate 42, with its inner surface substantially aligned with the outer extremity of the slot de, whereby to provide4 a bearing member 43 against which. the outer edge of the head portion 31 o the bolt may slide as the beveled end I6 engages and rides against 'the edge of the strike plate l. The intermediate body portion 38 of the bolt provides a pilot and support for acoil spring @le thatV is engaged under compression between the shoulders (defined between the head portion 31 and body portion 38) and a tongue 46 that is struck upwardly from the plate 42. The reduced shank portion 39 is slidably mounted in a slot 41 in the tongue 46. The short length of chain 34 is looped through an opening in the end of the. shank portion 39.

The .strike plates |1 are Lshaped, each includingy an arm 49 that is apertured so that securing screws 50 may be extended therethrough into a door post for mounting the strike .plate on the door post. The strike plates i1 function as stops toV limit the closing movement of the door and 'also as keepers to cooperate with the ends of the latch bolts I5 for latching the door in the closed position. The latch bracket plates 42 are secured, as by means of screws, to the rear face of the door I0 at the' lower corners thereof. The projecting outer ends of the plates 42 serve as bearing members for striking against the plates I1, protecting the wood of the door against the wear that would occur if it contacted the strike plate directly. It will be apparent that the entire latch assembly is quite simple, can be fabricated largely from sheet metal stamping,

and is therefore relatively inexpensive, yet fully satisfactory in operation and quite sturdy and durable.

In the modified latch unit shown in Figs. 7, 8

Vand 9, a latch mounting plate 42 is adapted to tion. depress the latch arm 53 until the keeper l1 clears the crown of the hook 54 and drops into the notch 55. Y

The latch arm 53 is confined between the bracket plate 42' and a yoke 5B the ends of which are secured to the plate 42. The arm 53 'is urged upwardly by a bow spring 51 one arm of which is engaged beneath the arm 53 and within the yoke Y 56 and the other arm of which is engaged within and against one end of the yoke 56. The spring 51 has a loop joining its two arms, said loop being coiled around a pin 58 mounted in the plate 42'.. ALinked to the arm 59 of the lever l5 is one end of a pull element 35. Pull against this element will cause the arm 59 to move upwardly and the arm 53 to move downwardly thus releasing the latch level from the keeper l1'.

akamai The `lever 32 has narrowed end portions 8l which project beyond the upper and lower ends ofthe mounting plate 2| for coaction with the bolt of a night latch 62 which may be mounted on the inner side of the door i0 either above or below the plate 2 I I Iclaim:

1. An operating unit for an inside latch on an overhead door comprising a shaft adapted to extend through the door and to be rotatably mounted therein and to be actuated from outside the door by a handle attached to its outer end, a one-way clutch secured to the inner end of said shaft, a crank lever rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent said clutch, an inside handle rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent said crank leverand adapted to transmit movement to said lever, said handle and lever being separable and said lever having at one end a flange engaging a side edge of said lever to form a clutching connection therewith, and means securing said handle, lever and clutch in assembled relationship on said shaft.

2. A dual actuator for an inside latch on an overhead door comprising a shaft for extending through said door for outside activation by a handle secured to its outer end, an inside handle unit rotatably mounted on the inner end of said shaft for inside actuation of the latch, a oneway operable clutch secured to the inner end of said shaft, adapted when rotated in one direction to engage said inside handle unit for transmitting therethrough, unlatching movement to said latch, said inside handle unit being free to move in latch unlatching direction when actu- "f` ated directly, said inside handle being in the form of a stamped sheet metal bar having a hub portion with parallel side edges, and said clutch comprising a rectangular stamped sheet metal member having at opposite corners a pair of flanges bent at right angles to the general plane thereof, said flanges embracing between them said hub portion and being adapted to establish one way driving engagement with said side edges at points offset to the respective sides of a diameter of said shaft normal to said side edges, said clutch body being secured to the inner end of said shaft to receive movement from said outside handle.

3. Actuating mechanism for an inside latch on an overhead door comprising a shaft for extending through said door for outside actuation by a handle secured to its outer end, an inside handle, said inside handle including a hat sheet metal arm rotatably mounted on the inner end of said shaft, a clutch comprising a at body member secured upon the inner end of said shaft in face to face contact with said arm and having a clutch dog `adapted to engage a longitudinal edge of said arm to transmit rotation from said shaft to said inside handle in one direction, said dog being so disposed as to permit independent actuation of said inside handle in unlatching direction without transmitting movement back to said clutch, and means carried by said handle for transmitting unlatching movement to said latch.

4. Actuating mechanism for an inside latch on an overhead door compriisng a shaft adapted to extend through said door, to be rotatable therein and to be actuated by. an outside handle secured to its outer end, a one-way clutch secured to the inner end of said shaft, said clutch including a flat plate-like body disposed in av plane at right angles to the axis of said shaft and having at an extremity thereof an axially extending dog 6, disposed entirely on one side of a radius of said shaft. and an inside handle including a flat arm rotatably mounted on said shaft between said clutch and the door and having ,a longitudinal edge adapted to be engaged by said dog when said clutch is rotated in unlatching direction whereby to receive movement from said clutch, saiddog being circumferentially offset to one side of a radius of said shaft normal to said longitudinal edge, so as to permit independent movement of said inside handle without transmitting movement back to said clutch, whereby said latch may be actuated from said inside handle without moving said outside handle.

5. Actuating mechanism for an inside latch on an overhead door comprising a shaft extending through the door, rotatable therein and adapted for outside actuation by, a handle secured upon its outer end, a bearing plate secured to the inner side of the door and having an opening through which said shaft extends, a one-way operable clutch secured upon the inner end of said shaft, said clutch including a flat plate member parallel to said bearing plate and having at an extremity a dog extending toward said bearing plate, an inside actuating handle in the form of a bar having a at base portion rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent the forward face of said clutch element, between said clutch element and said bearing plate, and having a longitudinal edge arranged to be engaged by said dog to receive unlatching movement therefrom, said dog being disposed entirely on one side off a radius of said shaft normal to said longitudinal edge whereby said inside handle may move in unlatching direction without transmitting movement back to said clutch, and a lever disposed between said inside handle and said bearing plate, secured to said inside handle and rotatable upon said shaft, for transmitting movement to said latch.

6. Inside latching mechanism for an overhead door assembly of a type embodying a door movable between door posts having an L. shaped keeper attachable to one of said door posts and having a fiat plate portion extending parallel to the general plane of the door and a thin flat portion disposed between a side edge of the door and the door post when in closed position, said latching mechanism comprising: a bracket plate attachable to the door and disposed between said keeper and the door when the door is closed, tongues struck rearwardly from the respective ends of said bracket plate, said tongues having slide openings therein, a thin, fiat latch bolt of stamped sheet metal slidably mounted in said openings and having' a beveled end to engage said keeper, spring means interposed between one of said tongues-and latch bolt for urging it in latching direction, and a bearing ringer bent from the rear end of the other tongue and engaging the rear edge of said latch bolt adjacent said beveled end to provide slide bearing support for the bolt against lateral thrust developed in the camming engagement of said beveled end with said keeper.

7. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 6, wherein said bolt has a head portion of maximum width and a body portion of reduced width defining, at the junction between said body and head portions, shoulders for abutment of one end of said spring.

RALPH E. NOWAK.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED u Number The followmg references are of recordvin the' 415199 me or this patent; UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 112991056- Number Name Y Date 1,833,252 180,754 Currie Aug. 8, 1876 2,320,293 194,333 Cole 1 .A..-.... Aug. 21, 1877 2,427,909

8 Name lDate Ward Dec. 3, 1889` Johnson et al. Sept. 22, 1891 Dillman June 25, 1895 Ulevog x Apr. 1, 1919 Hayman Nov. 24, 1931 Phillips May 25, 1943 Howell sept. 23, 1947 

